An unconventional addiction to them crazy 2 wheeled things called Motorcycles. Right now the flavor has seemed to be motorcycles in the Dirt variety. I’ve come to the realization that with Kim’s current work\school schedule, any sort of short motorcycle road trips are basically out of the question. This is not then end of the world, as noted before, my passion of competition has been reignited.
In the past year I have bought, traded, sold, and fanagled a handful of various motorcycles and dirtbikes. I can’t quite pin point what my deal is. Previously I’ve maintained a solid reputation for having zero emotion when it comes to mechanical machines. I fear this had in the past caused me to be distant in my mechanical\physical relationship between me and my machines, but it appears that the past three bikes I’ve gone through have torn down my mechanical walls.
I swore after I rode a CRF250R that the 4-stroke bikes were the answer. The way the power was always there; the way I didn’t have to try to get it to do what I want. The reality of it was that I was angry and upset with the KTM 300. On my last race with it, I got the crap beaten outa me. Now this wasn’t all the bikes fault (smashing your foot into a tree 10 minutes into a 2 hour race is bad idea k?) but it sure made me feel better to put the blame on it. I faulted the WP Suspension, I faulted the “over-powered” feeling, I faulted everything about that damn bike. I however did not fault the fool sitting on the machine.
Enter 2004 Yamaha YZ250F Stage Right. I will now admit the obvious: This was an impulse move on my behalf. I was sure though that it would solve all my riding issues. And to a certain degree, the bike did. I gained some important experience on the machine and learned a few more things in regards to my riding. The 250F helped me see another aspect of what I do and what I don’t like in a bike. Little nuances, the small things I would otherwise overlook when going for a bike. I am now seeing to be quite significant factors in what I like or dislike in a bike. Unfortunately the thing I realized I wanted most in a bike, was lost by the KTM 300 Storming out Stage Left.
Pingers, Ring Ting Tingers. I was warned. I was told I would be back. I retorted that I had seen the light. The writing was on the wall, however. I will say it, and I don’t care what anyone says. 4-Stroke dirtbikes HAVE NO SOUL! You can put it however you want, but the 4-Stroke bikes are just lacking in the excitement part. I’m sure I wasn’t riding fast enough, or pushing hard enough to feel things in the same excitement level on the 4-Stroke, but that is the issue. The way the power is delivered, it just doesn’t add up to be an exciting ride. I felt a need to be back on a 2-Stroke, someway. Somehow. Now I must admit that there are a couple contributing factors to my passion for 2-Strokes. It could be the wicked power that the KTM 300 has, or I admit (fear?) that it may be rooted deeper.
When I originally began racing dirtbikes, I had the misfortune of picking up probably one of the worst dirtbikes known to man. A 1986 Yamaha YZ125. A basket case to say the least. From the poor power, to weak suspension, to me not knowing what the crap I was doing with maintenance. Everything added up on that thing to equaling disaster. Yet for some reason I had a desire to race it, and race it I did. Unfortunately for me, it put me on a vintage bike against kids on new 125 machines. It was 1999 (or 2000?) and even a bike 10 years newer than mine, was light years ahead of what I had. So why the heck would I want to go to a 2-Stroke, 125cc, Yamaha? The very same bike that I loathed all those years ago? Soul.
The 250F made me realize that the 4-Stroke bikes had no soul. No emotion, nothing, nada. So now I am wondering all what I have here. I am at the end of the racing season. I have a 2004 Yamaha YZ125 in the garage that needs some TLC, and in my eyes, I pissed away a perfectly good racing season. That being said, I am much further in my riding abilities now, than I was at the beginning of the season, and as such, I look ahead. I am looking ahead towards the winter here for cross training, for planning my attack on a race series for next season. To compete and be able to compete at the top of my game. To be pushed beyond what I thought I could do.
So this addiction, I won’t be coming clean. I aim to immerse myself even further in next seasons racing. There is plenty of fun to be had in just riding around, but the taste of victory; I crave NEED more.
Happy Roosting,
Andrew